Reel-type slot machines are well known and have been employed in both conventional slot machine games as well as card games. The traditional slot machine has a series of annular reels disposed in side-by-side relationship that rotate separately about a common axis. Players' scores or winnings are indicated by indicia on the peripheral surfaces of the reels that may align in any number of different combinations following a period of rotation of the reels. Players of gaming apparatus typically find it enjoyable to have a variety of different forms of gaming apparatus available. For this purpose, slot machines of the spinning reel type have been provided with a variety of different graphics, cabinet configurations and other varied embellishments such as varying visual or sound effects and differing scoring systems for example. Modifications of slot machines of this kind to enhance player enjoyment are circumscribed if the above-described basic geometry of mechanical components of the apparatus is retained. The side-by-side reel arrangement has in the past imparted an undesirable degree of similarity to slot machines of this type notwithstanding the superficial variations of the above-described kind.
With the advent of computer technology, electronic slot machines were designed. Initially, the electronic slot machines did not employ reels. Rather, these machines utilized a video screen to simulate a reel. These machines were of limited commercial success. Eventually, electronic-type reel machines were developed. These machines removed the game from the reels and played the game in a microprocessor. The reels became simply a method of displaying the results of the game. Such a machine is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,795. In these machines “virtual reels”, are represented by random number generators in a microprocessor. The random number generators generate a number and that number corresponds to a reel position on the physical reel. In other words, the numbers of the random number generators are mapped to the physical reel positions. Initially, these virtual reel machines generated one number for each position on the reel, thus there was a direct mapping and the odds were not changed. Subsequently, the concept of many to one mapping was introduced and it allowed the odds associated with virtual reel machines to be adjusted (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,419). These machines use random number generators to generate numbers from a range of numbers that exceeds the number of physical reel combinations. These numbers are mapped to certain reel combinations with multiple numbers being mapped to some combinations. In this manner, the odds of displaying some combinations will exceed the odds of displaying other combinations thereby allowing for higher payout odds. However, this concept was not used for card games.
In operation, the virtual reel slot machines generate a number with a random number generator. That number is then put into a lookup table to ascertain the appropriate display and payout. This whole procedure is independent of the physical reels.
The use of only computer controlled reel type card games and computer controlled video card games has resulted in a loss of confidence by the player as to his ability to control the results of the game. The card amusement game player has become to believe that the game of chance no longer exists and that the outcome and payout is all controlled by the house, which has programmed the computer to the number and degree of payouts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,529 to Rodesch et al, which is herewith incorporated by reference, discloses a reel type slot machine having a microprocessor driven game control circuit including a reel driven by a stepper motor, which could be used, in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,962 to Malavazos et al, which is herein incorporated by reference, discloses an amusement apparatus that contains two separate games. One game is a conventional reel game and the other game has a plurality of rotatable disks having spaced apart indicia that encircle the disks and provide a score when the indicia rest at any of a plurality of angular orientations.
It is therefore proposed to provide a card game amusement apparatus in which the player can determine the outcome of at least one hand whose outcome has not been predetermined by the computer.